Harbor Network Event Media Podcast: Recent Episodes
Harbor Network
This podcasts exists to showcase the plenary session talks from the Harbor Network Leaders' Summit, an annual event each fall in Louisville, KY.
Thabiti Anyabwile is one of the pastors for Anacostia River Church. He has served as an elder and pastor in churches in NC, DC and the Cayman Islands. After a few years as a practicing Muslim, Thabiti was converted under the preaching of the gospel in the Washington DC area. He and his wife, Kristie, have three children. Thabiti is the author of several books, including The Life of God in the Soul of the Church; The Gospel for Muslims; What Is a Healthy Church Member?; The Decline of African-American Theology; and The Faithful Preacher. He blogs regularly at The Front Porch.
Friendship is not a luxury. It's a necessity. Jesus demonstrated the transformative nature of being deeply loved by someone who is simply choosing you. There’s no greater love.
Could it be that friendship is far more important and far more wonderful than many have ever imagined?
We think so. Join leaders from across the country and let’s seek to understand, cultivate, and harness the incredible power of friendships for the glory of God and the good of our churches.
Jamaal E. Williams is lead pastor of Sojourn Church Midtown in Louisville, Kentucky, and president of Harbor Network. He’s a native of Chicago and holds a DEdMin in black church leadership from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jamaal is the author of In Church as It Is in Heaven (InterVarsity, 2023) with Timothy Paul Jones. He is married to Amber, and they’re the parents of Nia, Josiah, Kayla, Micah, and Judah. You can follow him on Twitter.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
Friendship is not a luxury. It's a necessity. Jesus demonstrated the transformative nature of being deeply loved by someone who is simply choosing you. There’s no greater love.
Could it be that friendship is far more important and far more wonderful than many have ever imagined?
We think so. Join leaders from across the country and let’s seek to understand, cultivate, and harness the incredible power of friendships for the glory of God and the good of our churches.
Charles is a native of Florida but has lived in Norfolk since 2014 when he and his wife moved to the city to raise a family and start Mission Church. They have five small children who bring joy and laughter to their household. Charles serves as the Lead Pastor focusing on preaching, vision, equipping, and leadership development. His desire is for the Word of God to impact the people of God for the glory of God. He enjoys running, reading, NFL and NBA games, and coaching youth sports.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
Friendship is not a luxury. It's a necessity. Jesus demonstrated the transformative nature of being deeply loved by someone who is simply choosing you. There’s no greater love.
Could it be that friendship is far more important and far more wonderful than many have ever imagined?
We think so. Join leaders from across the country and let’s seek to understand, cultivate, and harness the incredible power of friendships for the glory of God and the good of our churches.
Jen Wilkin is an author and Bible teacher from Dallas, Texas. She has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. An advocate for Bible literacy, her passion is to see others become articulate and committed followers of Christ, with a clear understanding of why they believe what they believe, grounded in the Word of God.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
Friendship is not a luxury. It's a necessity. Jesus demonstrated the transformative nature of being deeply loved by someone who is simply choosing you. There’s no greater love.
Could it be that friendship is far more important and far more wonderful than many have ever imagined?
We think so. Join leaders from across the country and let’s seek to understand, cultivate, and harness the incredible power of friendships for the glory of God and the good of our churches.
Sam Allberry is a pastor, apologist and speaker. He is the author of a number of books, including Is God Anti-Gay?, Why Bother with Church?, 7 Myths about Singleness, and What God Has To Say About Our Bodies. He has written extensively for numerous organizations, including The Gospel Coalition, Desiring God, and Living Out.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
Jonathan Dodson (M.Div, Th.M) is the Theologian-in-Residence at Citizens Church. He was also the founding pastor of City Life Church in Austin, TX which he started with his wife, Robie, and a small group of people. They have three children. He is also the founder of gcdiscipleship.com and author of a number of books including The Unbelievable Gospel, Gospel-Centered Discipleship, and Here in Spirit. He enjoys listening to The War on Drugs, watching sci-fi, and going for walks.
Kristie Anyabwile is a pastor’s wife and the mother of Afiya, Eden, and Titus. She joyfully supports her husband, Thabiti, as he pastors Anacostia River Church in Southeast Washington, D.C. Kristie enjoys spending time with family, cooking, and discipling women, as well as speaking and writing about marriage, motherhood, and ministry. You can follow her on Twitter at @KAnyabwile.
Thabiti Anyabwile is one of the pastors for Anacostia River Church. He has served as an elder and pastor in churches in NC, DC and the Cayman Islands. After a few years as a practicing Muslim, Thabiti was converted under the preaching of the gospel in the Washington DC area. He and his wife, Kristie, have three children. Thabiti is the author of several books, including The Life of God in the Soul of the Church; The Gospel for Muslims; What Is a Healthy Church Member?; The Decline of African-American Theology; and The Faithful Preacher. He blogs regularly at The Front Porch.
The power of the gospel is creating an eternal, cosmic, multiethnic community here and now. God’s design for his kingdom is wonderfully diverse and every church can contribute to this beautiful picture of how Christ’s kingdom has broken into this age. This talk from the 2023 Harbor Network Leaders' Summit is intended to encourage and equip God's people to display the multi-faceted wisdom of God in our churches.
Rechab Gray is the pastor of preaching and spiritual formation at New Creation Fellowship in Orlando, a brand new church plant in the downtown area. He has been married to Brittany since 2009, and they have four children —Aaron, Zipporah, Jonathan, and Hadassah. He has a Master’s of Biblical Studies from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is pursuing a PhD from North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
The power of the gospel is creating an eternal, cosmic, multiethnic community here and now. God’s design for his kingdom is wonderfully diverse and every church can contribute to this beautiful picture of how Christ’s kingdom has broken into this age. This talk from the 2023 Harbor Network Leaders' Summit is intended to encourage and equip God's people to display the multi-faceted wisdom of God in our churches.
Timothy lives in Louisville with his wife and 4 daughters. He is one of the preaching pastors at Sojourn Midtown. He holds a PhD from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and serves there as the Vice President of Doctoral Studies. Along with many other books, he is co author of In Church As It Is In Heaven.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
The power of the gospel is creating an eternal, cosmic, multiethnic community here and now. God’s design for his kingdom is wonderfully diverse and every church can contribute to this beautiful picture of how Christ’s kingdom has broken into this age. This talk from the 2023 Harbor Network Leaders' Summit is intended to encourage and equip God's people to display the multi-faceted wisdom of God in our churches.
Paul Tokunaga, Founder and President of MELD, LLC, brings 40+ years of hands-on multi-ethnic leadership development training, coaching and consulting with organizations throughout the United States. Paul is a third-generation Japanese American from San Jose, California. He was an undergraduate student at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo where he earned a B.S. of Journalism. He was awarded the C.G. Young Award by the university president as the outstanding graduate in his class. Paul went on to earn a Masters of Christian Studies at New College Berkeley.
Paul’s biggest assignments have come from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, for whom he has served since 1973 in a variety of leadership and management roles, including National Asian American Ministry Coordinator for 14 years. Most recently he has been the Vice-President, Director of Strategic Ministries, for nine years. InterVarsity is a $110 million non-profit, employing 1600 throughout the United States.
Paul is a Certified Facilitator in Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and Unconscious Bias by the Cultural Intelligence Center and was certified as a conflict mediator by the Conflict Resolution Academy.
He and his wife Margaret recently celebrated their 42nd anniversary. They have an adult son, Sam. They all reside in Atlanta.
Paul is a co-author of two multi-ethnic leadership books as well as the author of Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders, now in its 10th printing. Paul is a sought-after speaker to audiences of 18 to 18,000 on subjects of multi-ethnicity, diversity in the workplace, and developing high potential leaders.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
The power of the gospel is creating an eternal, cosmic, multiethnic community here and now. God’s design for his kingdom is wonderfully diverse and every church can contribute to this beautiful picture of how Christ’s kingdom has broken into this age. This talk from the 2023 Harbor Network Leaders' Summit is intended to encourage and equip God's people to display the multi-faceted wisdom of God in our churches.
Suzanne Bates (MAC ’99), a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and PhD student (‘23; University of Missouri-St. Louis), brings a wealth of experience from the counseling field into the classroom as Assistant Professor of Counseling. She provides counseling part-time as Staff Counselor for New City Fellowship – St. Louis, a position she has held for more than a decade. For more than twenty years, Suzanne has provided care and counsel to individuals, couples, and families of diverse populations, including the incarcerated, immigrants, and refugees. She counsels, shepherds, and teaches CTS students and members of New City Fellowship Church with the wisdom she has gleaned over her years of teaching counseling courses, facilitating and teaching Bible studies, leading women’s groups, and more. Suzanne is a native of St. Louis, Missouri; she has four grown children and four grandchildren.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
The power of the gospel is creating an eternal, cosmic, multiethnic community here and now. God’s design for his kingdom is wonderfully diverse and every church can contribute to this beautiful picture of how Christ’s kingdom has broken into this age. This talk from the 2023 Harbor Network Leaders' Summit is intended to encourage and equip God's people to display the multi-faceted wisdom of God in our churches.
Dr. Williams is a New Testament professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a preaching pastor at Sojourn Midtown. He holds a PhD from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Ana have one son, Jaden, and live and serve in Louisville, KY. Jarvis has authored many books, including Redemptive Kingdom Diversity.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
The power of the gospel is creating an eternal, cosmic, multiethnic community here and now. God’s design for his kingdom is wonderfully diverse and every church can contribute to this beautiful picture of how Christ’s kingdom has broken into this age. This talk from the 2023 Harbor Network Leaders' Summit is intended to encourage and equip God's people to display the multi-faceted wisdom of God in our churches.
Jamaal and his lovely wife Amber have 5 beautiful children: Nia, Josiah, Kayla, Micah, and Judah. He is a Chicago native, now serving in Louisville as the Lead Pastor of Sojourn Midtown. He holds an MDiv and DEdMin from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Black Church Leadership and is one of the authors of In Church As It Is In Heaven.
For more on Harbor Network visit www.harbornetwork.com
For more on The Leaders' Summit visit www.theleaderssummit.com
In the episode, we explore the theme of peace from John 14:27.
Ronnie Martin is a songwriter, recording artist, author, Lead Pastor of Substance Church in Ashland, OH, and the Director of Leader Renewal at Harbor Network.
In this episode, Zack Eswine walks through Psalm 131, and what it means to come to a childlike space before God.
Zack Eswine serves as lead pastor of Riverside Church in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of Preaching Today’s book of the year, Preaching to a Post-Everything World (Baker, 2008), as well as The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus (Crossway, 2015), which received Christianity Today‘s 2016 book of the year in the church/pastoral leadership category.
In this episode, Zack Eswine expounds on the theme of the Steadfast Love of the Lord from Psalm 90:14.
Zack Eswine serves as lead pastor of Riverside Church in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of Preaching Today’s book of the year, Preaching to a Post-Everything World (Baker, 2008), as well as The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus (Crossway, 2015), which received Christianity Today‘s 2016 book of the year in the church/pastoral leadership category.
When was the last time you had your imagination kindled for Christ? As leaders ministering in a complex environment, we need conviction and imagination. We need stability to help resist anxious reactionary responses to our changing world, and a creativity that allows flexibility in responding to cultural dynamics as they come. We need integrity to stand up for truth in the face of opposition, and a beauty that compels us to love and wonder. One provides a safe place to explore and take risks without fear. The other enlivens and pushes into new horizons of vibrant ministry. It’s not either/or. It's both/and. Let’s imagine together a better, more beautiful way.
In the episode, we explore what Jesus means by thriving.
Jamaal Williams is the Lead Pastor of Sojourn Midtown in Louisville, KY and the President of Harbor Network.
When was the last time you had your imagination kindled for Christ? As leaders ministering in a complex environment, we need conviction and imagination. We need stability to help resist anxious reactionary responses to our changing world, and a creativity that allows flexibility in responding to cultural dynamics as they come. We need integrity to stand up for truth in the face of opposition, and a beauty that compels us to love and wonder. One provides a safe place to explore and take risks without fear. The other enlivens and pushes into new horizons of vibrant ministry. It’s not either/or. It's both/and. Let’s imagine together a better, more beautiful way.
In the episode, we explore the promises of Babylon and how they derail us from experiencing satisfaction under the rule and reign of Jesus.
John Starke is the Lead Pastor of Apostles Uptown in New York, NY, author, and board member of Harbor Network.
When was the last time you had your imagination kindled for Christ? As leaders ministering in a complex environment, we need conviction and imagination. We need stability to help resist anxious reactionary responses to our changing world, and a creativity that allows flexibility in responding to cultural dynamics as they come. We need integrity to stand up for truth in the face of opposition, and a beauty that compels us to love and wonder. One provides a safe place to explore and take risks without fear. The other enlivens and pushes into new horizons of vibrant ministry. It’s not either/or. It's both/and. Let’s imagine together a better, more beautiful way.
In the episode, we explore the habits of Mystics, Pilgrims, and Missionaries and what they have to teach us about conviction and imagination.
Ed Marcelle is the Director of Church Planting and Multiplication at Harbor Network.
When was the last time you had your imagination kindled for Christ? As leaders ministering in a complex environment, we need conviction and imagination. We need stability to help resist anxious reactionary responses to our changing world, and a creativity that allows flexibility in responding to cultural dynamics as they come. We need integrity to stand up for truth in the face of opposition, and a beauty that compels us to love and wonder. One provides a safe place to explore and take risks without fear. The other enlivens and pushes into new horizons of vibrant ministry. It’s not either/or. It's both/and. Let’s imagine together a better, more beautiful way.
In the episode, we explore what the future of Harbor Network might look if we embrace conviction and imagination.
Dave Owens is the Executive Director of Harbor Network and a lay elder at Sojourn Midtown in Louisville, KY.
When was the last time you had your imagination kindled for Christ? As leaders ministering in a complex environment, we need conviction and imagination. We need stability to help resist anxious reactionary responses to our changing world, and a creativity that allows flexibility in responding to cultural dynamics as they come. We need integrity to stand up for truth in the face of opposition, and a beauty that compels us to love and wonder. One provides a safe place to explore and take risks without fear. The other enlivens and pushes into new horizons of vibrant ministry. It’s not either/or. It's both/and. Let’s imagine together a better, more beautiful way.
In the episode, we explore the idea that one of the means of fueling creativity and imagination in our churches is the diversity God provides within our churches.
Dan Hyun is the Lead Pastor of The Village Church in Baltimore, MD.
When was the last time you had your imagination kindled for Christ? As leaders ministering in a complex environment, we need conviction and imagination. We need stability to help resist anxious reactionary responses to our changing world, and a creativity that allows flexibility in responding to cultural dynamics as they come. We need integrity to stand up for truth in the face of opposition, and a beauty that compels us to love and wonder. One provides a safe place to explore and take risks without fear. The other enlivens and pushes into new horizons of vibrant ministry. It’s not either/or. It's both/and. Let’s imagine together a better, more beautiful way.
In the episode, we explore why imagination is necessary for churches to thrive.
Hannah Anderson is the author of several books. You can find more about her and her work at sometimesalight.com.
When was the last time you had your imagination kindled for Christ? As leaders ministering in a complex environment, we need conviction and imagination. We need stability to help resist anxious reactionary responses to our changing world, and a creativity that allows flexibility in responding to cultural dynamics as they come. We need integrity to stand up for truth in the face of opposition, and a beauty that compels us to love and wonder. One provides a safe place to explore and take risks without fear. The other enlivens and pushes into new horizons of vibrant ministry. It’s not either/or. It's both/and. Let’s imagine together a better, more beautiful way.
In the episode, we explore the reality that we need both truth and beauty and how together they display the glory and goodness of God.
Ronnie Martin is a songwriter, recording artist, author, and Lead Pastor of Substance Church in Ashland, OH.
When was the last time you had your imagination kindled for Christ? As leaders ministering in a complex environment, we need conviction and imagination. We need stability to help resist anxious reactionary responses to our changing world, and a creativity that allows flexibility in responding to cultural dynamics as they come. We need integrity to stand up for truth in the face of opposition, and a beauty that compels us to love and wonder. One provides a safe place to explore and take risks without fear. The other enlivens and pushes into new horizons of vibrant ministry. It’s not either/or. It's both/and. Let’s imagine together a better, more beautiful way.
In the episode, we explore through words of Jesus where our conviction and imagination comes from.
Jonathan Pennington is the Professor of New Testament interpretation at SBTS, and Spiritual Formation Pastor at Sojourn East in Louisville, KY.
When was the last time you had your imagination kindled for Christ? As leaders ministering in a complex environment, we need conviction and imagination. We need stability to help resist anxious reactionary responses to our changing world, and a creativity that allows flexibility in responding to cultural dynamics as they come. We need integrity to stand up for truth in the face of opposition, and a beauty that compels us to love and wonder. One provides a safe place to explore and take risks without fear. The other enlivens and pushes into new horizons of vibrant ministry. It’s not either/or. It's both/and. Let’s imagine together a better, more beautiful way.
In the episode, we explore some of the history of Harbor Network, how we came up with our values, and what we mean by conviction and imagination.
Brand Shields in the Lead Pastor of Soma Midtown in Indianapolis, IN and board member of Harbor Network.
At Harbor Network, one of our core values is renewal-driven mission. This means that we join with the Holy Spirit and one another in the work of personal, social, and cultural renewal. Our leaders seek to walk in the reality that God is making all things new. We participate in this work by seeking the good of the communities where he has placed us.
In this session, we look at how the primary elements of renewal (Justification, Sanctification, The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and Authority in Spiritual Conflict) drive us outward toward faith-filled mission.
Jamaal Williams is Lead Pastor of Sojourn Church Midtown in Louisville, Kentucky and is the President of Harbor Network.
At Harbor Network, one of our core values is renewal-driven mission. This means that we join with the Holy Spirit and one another in the work of personal, social, and cultural renewal. Our leaders seek to walk in the reality that God is making all things new. We participate in this work by seeking the good of the communities where he has placed us.
In this session, we look at how the Holy Spirit gives us authority in conflict between the flesh, the world, and the devil.
Scotty Smith is the founding pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee. You can follow him on Twitter.
At Harbor Network, one of our core values is renewal-driven mission. This means that we join with the Holy Spirit and one another in the work of personal, social, and cultural renewal. Our leaders seek to walk in the reality that God is making all things new. We participate in this work by seeking the good of the communities where he has placed us.
In this session, we look at how the Holy Spirit helps us and reminds us that we are not alone in conflict between the flesh, the world, and the devil.
Scotty Smith is the founding pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee. You can follow him on Twitter.
At Harbor Network, one of our core values is renewal-driven mission. This means that we join with the Holy Spirit and one another in the work of personal, social, and cultural renewal. Our leaders seek to walk in the reality that God is making all things new. We participate in this work by seeking the good of the communities where he has placed us.
In this session, we look at Justification (You are accepted) and Sanctification (You are free from the bondage of sin) as the first two conditions for renewal.
Thabiti Anyabwile is a pastor at Anacostia River Church in southeast Washington, DC. He’s the author of several books, including What Is a Healthy Church Member?, Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons, Reviving the Black Church, and others. He and his wife, Kristie, have three children.
At Harbor Network, one of our core values is renewal-driven mission. This means that we join with the Holy Spirit and one another in the work of personal, social, and cultural renewal. Our leaders seek to walk in the reality that God is making all things new. We participate in this work by seeking the good of the communities where he has placed us.
In this session, we look at the preconditions of renewal — God's holiness and our sin — in Psalm 32.
John Onwuchekwa is a pastor at Cornerstone Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Council member of The Gospel Coalition. He’s the author of Prayer: How Praying Together Shapes the Church. He and his wife, Shawndra, are the proud parents of one daughter, Ava.
At Harbor Network, one of our core values is renewal-driven mission. This means that we join with the Holy Spirit and one another in the work of personal, social, and cultural renewal. Our leaders seek to walk in the reality that God is making all things new. We participate in this work by seeking the good of the communities where he has placed us.
In this session, we explore what Jesus' Baptism has to tell about the starting place for renewal-driven mission.
John Starkeis the Lead Pastor of Apostles Church in New York City, author, and board member of Harbor Network. You can follow him on Twitter.
In this session, we explore what it takes to become a wholehearted leader. Wholeheartedness has become somewhat of a buzzword, but we believe it is so important that we bring our transformed and transforming presence into our leadership. As a network, our leaders partake in the humble pursuit of the development of the whole person, marked by the oneness and communion with God that is necessary for healthy leadership from the heart, not the hurt.
Chuck DeGroat serves as Professor of Counseling and Christian Spirituality and Interim D.Min. Director at Western Theological Seminary Holland, MI. He's also a faculty member for the Soul Care Institute.
In this session, we ask the question, “What powers ministry?” This world is driven by a variety of powers, but we are driven by a deeper dynamic. As a network, we are aiming for our churches to be driven by the renewing presence of God. We join with the Holy Spirit and one another in the work of personal, social, and cultural renewal. Our leaders seek to walk in the reality that God is making all things new. We participate in this work by seeking the good of the communities where he has placed us.
John Starkeis pastor of preaching at Apostles Church in New York City and co-editor of One God in Three Persons (Crossway, 2015). You can follow him on Twitter.
In this session, we delve into one of the foundational values of our network: friendship. None of us can do ministry alone; we need one another. This is why we pursue intentional, authentic, and multicultural friendships with each other. Our leaders are available to one another, vulnerable with one another, and adamantly for one another.
Scotty Smith is the founding pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee. You can follow him on Twitter.
Ray Ortlund (ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary; MA, The University of California, Berkeley; PhD, University of Aberdeen, Scotland) is president of Renewal Ministries, and an Emeritus Council member of The Gospel Coalition. He founded Immanuel Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and now serves from Immanuel as Pastor to Pastors. Ray has authored a number of books, including The Gospel: How The Church Portrays The Beauty of Christ and Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel. He and his wife, Jani, have four children.
In this session, we cover one of the most widely misunderstood concepts in the entire church, one where we desperately need the power and presence of God—diversity. God has a burning passion for his people to be one while retaining the beauty of their cultural diversity. As a network, we empower a diverse group of leaders from all people groups to plant churches in diverse areas because God values all people. Our leaders embrace humble equality as we pursue unity in diversity in our local contexts and in the life of our network.
Justin Giboney is an attorney and political strategist in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also the co-founder and president of the AND Campaign.